---- Chapter 14 Katarina POV: A week later, | was starting to feel human again. | had found a friend, a fellow expat named Sophie, and she insisted on dragging me out of my apartment. "There's this amazing little jazz club nearby," she said over the phone. "The musician is supposed to be incredible. His name is Julian Moreau." My heart did a little flip. "Okay," | agreed, a smile touching my lips. "I'll go." | got to the club before Sophie and was waiting at the bar when a man slid onto the stool next to me. He was slick and aggressive, his compliments feeling more like invasions. "Come on, beautiful. Just one drink," he slurred, moving closer. "She's with me." The voice was calm but firm. It was Julian. He slipped his arm around my shoulders in a way that was_ purely protective, not possessive. He looked at the other man with a cool, steady gaze until he finally grumbled an apology and ---- moved away. "Thanks," | breathed, my heart beating a little faster than it should have. "No problem," he said, his arm dropping away. "Some guys don't understand the meaning of the word 'no'." Sophie arrived then, her eyes widening when she saw me with Julian. She gave me a knowing smirk. Later, Julian took the stage. He didn't just play music; he poured his soul into it. When he sang, his eyes found mine in the crowded room, and | felt a connection, a sense of being seen, that Alex had never been capable of giving me. It was real. After his set, he joined Sophie and me at our table. He was funny and genuine, and for the first time in years, | felt myself relax completely. | wasn't Katarina De Luca, the Underboss's wife. | was just Kat, a woman laughing in a jazz club in Paris. Sophie, a master of subtlety, made an excuse to leave early. Julian offered to walk me home. Under the glow of the Parisian streetlights, we talked about art and music and the feeling of starting over. There was no pressure, no agenda. Just two people enjoying a conversation. "You should come again," he said as we reached my ---- apartment building. "| will," | promised. And | did. Listening to Julian play, walking home with him through the quiet streets, became a new routine. A new comfort. He was a gentle presence in my new life, asking for nothing, but giving me a sense of safety and friendship that was slowly healing the deep, jagged wounds of my past. The ghost of Alex De Luca was beginning to fade. Julian's music, his easy laughter, was slowly bringing the color back into my world. My heart, which | had thought was frozen solid, was beginning to thaw. Discover our latest featured short drama reel. Watch now and enjoy the story!